Turning Pages
by aeroKAT
Summary: An account of the events following the last episode of TRON: Uprising, with a focus on the relationship between Beck and Paige. "She stared at him, shocked, and he was painfully reminded of the moment when she saw him for who he was. In the next instant, the look vanished, replaced by cold fury. 'Then derez me.' "
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Collision**

"You're joking."

Normally, Commander Paige would have requested permission before speaking so candidly to a superior officer, but the unusual circumstances drew the statement from her lips as soon as she processed it.

"I most certainly am not," General Tesler replied, deadpan.

"Curfew patrol?" she realized she was sputtering, "But that's…that's _Guard _duty." Paige spat out the word vehemently. "Surely, this is a mistake. I will not be reduced to performing tasks meant for such low ranking offi-"

Realizing her place, she cut herself off, lowering her head in shame.

"My apologies, sir. I didn't mean to speak so disrespectfully. I-I will get to it at once."

She made a quick bow, before pivoting on her toes and making for a hasty exit.

"Paige."

Her name was spoken evenly, but she couldn't bring herself to turn around for fear of what she might see.

"Yes, sir?"

She heard him hesitate before answering, and she could sense he was trying to hold back.

"With Clu's main forces here in Argon City, we may find ourselves with more…_menial_ tasks at hand. Also, with Clu's presence, _I will not_ _tolerate any Program_ _speaking out of place_. Is that clear?"

Paige could sense Tesler's suppressed temper with his final words, and she knew she got off easy with the reprimand.

"Yes, sir. I understand."

"Good. Now go!"

_Always having the final word_, Paige thought. She shook her head, inwardly berating herself. If she had let the thought slip out, she would be facing consequences far greater than a simple warning.

She boarded the Recognizer along with the Black Guards regularly assigned to curfew patrol. Thankfully, they made no comment about her, a Commander, performing a low end task with them. Or perhaps they feared she would derez them all on the spot if they acknowledged her presence. Either way, she was fine with the silence. It was a silence that meant respect, and as long as she had some respect, she could tolerate to job. Sort of.

* * *

><p>"I suppose with you back to full strength, I should have seen this coming."<p>

Beck looked down at his first Renegade disguise – simple, black and neon blue.

"Now Beck, it's not that I don't think you can handle the situation, but with Clu here, we need to be more careful."

"Right," Beck's tone was flat.

"So _I'll_ take care of the mass protest in Argon Square, while you free any Programs that have been rounded up for breaking curfew."

"Got it."

He looked back down at the simple Renegade suit.

"Do you really think it's a good idea to have both of us running around as… well, Tron?" Beck gestured to the mark centered at his chest.

Tron clapped a hand onto Beck's shoulder.

"You've earned the right to wear it Beck, and I don't think you deserve to have that right taken away. I'm proud to see you upholding my name."

Beck raised an eyebrow, "Wow. Didn't know you felt that way."

He was rewarded with Tron's small smile.

"Alright, let's get moving."

As they left the Outlands, Tron spoke offhandedly, "You did get the helmet fixed, didn't you?"

"Uh, yeah."

The truth was, Beck may have repaired the scratches from his last encounter with Cutler, but his helmet was still prone to malfunctioning, and he had been too busy of late to fix the problem entirely.

_It'll be fine_, Beck reassured himself.

* * *

><p>Beck was able to track down the Recognizer on curfew patrol relatively quickly. There was only the one, as the rest were in Argon Square, trying to deal with the mass protest. Beck had no doubt the Occupation would soon be struggling, especially with Tron's arrival. Beck was confident the protestors would be kept safe under Tron's protection.<p>

The Programs in real danger of being sent to the Games were the ones being rounded up now. As he started catching up with it, he realized this certain patrol was definitely being more efficient. Not wasting the time to question it, he began preparing his strike.

* * *

><p>Paige watched from the guard's side as he steered the Recognizer into a descent in front of the captured Programs below. True, she would have probably been more useful tracking down the law breakers on the streets, but she had a title to uphold - as well as her dignity. She might have been assigned to curfew patrol, but that didn't mean she had to actually be out there, spending energy, running down rebellious Programs. Besides, the guards seemed to be working harder with her standing command in the Recognizer. Maybe this was turning into a good thing after all.<p>

* * *

><p>Beck planned his approach, running down the narrow side street. From his current position, he couldn't see the Recognizer, but that also meant the Recognizer couldn't see him - at least, not until he turned the corner at the end. This would give him the advantage, preserving the element of surprise.<p>

* * *

><p>"Commander. Urgent news from the General."<p>

Paige turned to face the guard.

"The Renegade has arrived at Argon Square and is leading the mass protest. General Tesler requests your presence there immediately."

"Stay on patrol," she commanded, "I won't have Programs getting away with breaking curfew just because there are different matters to attend to. I'll go to Argon Square myself."

She promptly left, baton already in hand. Rather than wait for the Recognizer to complete its landing, she stood by the open bay doors, leaping as soon as the jump was manageable. She landed with a perfectly executed shoulder roll, and set off running.

* * *

><p>Beck was just about to round the corner at the end when another Program turned into the street, colliding head first with him. Beck landed hard on his side, immediately pulling himself into a sitting position. Looking up he found himself staring directly at Paige.<p>

She was already looking at him, a stunned expression on her face.

"_Beck?_"

And he suddenly felt like he had been dropped into the sea when he realized his helmet had retracted - leaving his face fully exposed.

All at once a thousand different thoughts raced through him. Out of everything, three things stood out the most: the force of the collision, Tron asking "You did get the helmet fixed, didn't you?" and _Paige._

Paige, who was now staring at the centre of his chest, her expression bewildered, as if she was struggling to make sense of it all.

"You're- ahh!"

She never finished her sentence, but with his eyes set on the taser he had thrown at her, Beck could guess what she was going to say.

_The Renegade._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Derez**

Paige woke up gradually, aware of how sore she was. Remembering her training, she stayed as still as possible, assessing the situation. She was cuffed. Her hands were bound, as well as her feet, the two cuffs joined so she was forced into a kneeling position, her hands behind her. It was dark. She was in confining space, about the size of a train car. There was an odd sound coming from outside, one that was strangely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.

Finally, she set her gaze onto him.

He must have noticed she had gained consciousness by now, but he had his back facing her, his arms crossed in front of his chest. The helmet was back up.

That was a good thing, she told herself. That it could be any Program now. That she could pretend it wasn't…wasn't…

But no matter how many times she tried to deny it, it was so obvious now. All of it. She could see it in his build, his stance, the broadness of his shoulders, and how he was holding them – tense. And she could feel that image seared forever into her memory: the sight of Beck, shocked, as he stared back at her, Tron's mark illuminating his chest.

The two feelings that warred within her were overwhelming. One was tenderness, the soft and sweet side that he had brought out, when he saved all the Programs aboard the runaway train, sat with her on the bridge overlooking Argon, the way his eyes met hers over their game of pool… and the other was raging hatred. An anger that wanted him derezzed on the spot, for causing chaos, for ruining Clu's vision of perfection, for destroying _everything_ she stood for.

Naturally, Paige went with the emotion where she had the most control, the emotion she understood the best when it came to this Program.

"Let me out of these light cuffs, now!"

It didn't matter that it was a ridiculous demand. It was the fact she had ordered it, with all her power as a ranking officer, as a Commander in Clu's army.

He ignored it.

"Don't ignore me, _Beck_."

She saw him flinch, and that part of her, the one that had once smiled with him, flinched too.

"Turn around and face me. Or are you that much of a _coward_, hiding behind a mask, you _liar_."

And with each word she knew was cutting into him, she felt cutting into her as well.

This wouldn't end until something was in crumbling bits.

* * *

><p>He could hear her yelling at him, and he tried to drown out the words, but it didn't matter, because no matter what, he was still listening. <em>Beck…Coward…Liar.<em>

In his memory he saw Bodhi derezzing into nothing more than cubes, and he was hopeless to stop it. The crane he believed held Mara and Zed, exploding and starting its plunge into the water. Until he learned it was Able – _Able_ – who was gone. And then there was Cutler, who he had almost saved. But _almost_ wasn't good enough. He could still hear Cutler's deranged laugh as he made the haunting decision to let him go.

"Tell me the truth, _Beck_. Was it all a charade, your time with me? Was it just part of the plan? To infiltrate the army and bring down Clu from the inside?"

That snapped him out of his memories, and he whirled around, suddenly furious.

"You want to know the truth? I have to _derez you_, Paige. I can't let you live, knowing who I am. That's the _truth_."

She stared at him, shocked, and he was painfully reminded of the moment when she saw him for who he was. In the next instant, the look vanished, replaced by cold fury.

"Then derez me."

* * *

><p><em>Derez.<em>

The word echoed in her mind, spoken by both her and him.

Derez me, she had said.

He was already turning away from her again and she could have sworn she heard him whisper, "I can't."

* * *

><p>Because the truth was, he couldn't. Not after he lost so many. And two of those deaths he blamed entirely on himself. He couldn't add a fourth. Not her. Never her. But there he was, faced with the impossible decision: her death or the death of the uprising.<p>

* * *

><p>They remained silent for a very long time. That faint sound that Paige first heard was beginning to irritate her, since it was the only thing droning in her ears. After another micro she realized what the sound was, and why it was so familiar. It was the Sea of Simulation. And she was trapped inside one of the crates by the docks. Now that she knew where she was, she could…Do what, exactly? Plan to escape? Tell General Tesler who the Renegade was? Have the Occupation hunt him down and derez him?<p>

* * *

><p>He wasn't sure how, but Beck found himself speaking again.<p>

"Is that what you want, Paige? Perfection?" His voice was weary.

"Isn't that what every Program wants?"

Looking over his shoulder, he could see her glaring eyes, as if she was determined to stay mad.

"And that's why you fight for Clu."

"There are many reasons why I fight for Clu."

Her glare had softened into more of a frown.

"And General Tesler?"

"What about him?"

"You once told me you were a medic. That you believed in the value of another Program's life. I highly doubt Tesler sees things your way. But I guess it doesn't matter as long as he's fighting for Clu. Is that it?"

The last words left him as he turned around to face her fully again.

"I owe General Tesler _my life_. He found me, saved me and gave me a job. A _purpose_. You have _no right_ to judge him."

Beck snorted.

"And how many times did he save you, again?"

"Excuse me?"

"Because I'm pretty sure I've saved you at least three times, and you apparently don't owe me anything."

"Really? Remind me exactly why I should owe you _anything_, _Rengade_."

Beck began to tick the list off his fingers, ignoring the "_Renegade_" jibe.

"I saved you in the tunnels, when the drill exploded."

"A drill that exploded because _you_ planted a bomb on it."

"I didn't have to go back though. I could have let you die down there, but I didn't. You owe me."

She didn't respond.

"I saved you on the runaway train. Admit it. Without me, everyone on that train would have derezzed."

There was a far way look in her eyes as she thought back to that cycle. Suddenly her eyes flashed.

"You weren't on the train for a leisurely ride to Bismuth either, were you? You were there to get to Keller."

"Alright, I`ll admit that, but it still has nothing to do with-"

"_That's _why you kept trying to talk to me. You were trying to _distract_ me, so you could get to Keller first! And then after…" Paige began to trail off.

Beck finished for her.

"And then after I finished _saving your life_, you still managed to get Keller, bring her back to Tesler, and he _derezzed_ her."

"He told me it was because she spurned his mercy. Here he was, giving her a second chance, and she threw it back in his face."

"You honestly believed him?" Beck was incredulous. He took Paige to be a smart Program, but he was beginning to realize she tended to blind herself to Tesler's lesser qualities.

"You honestly believe that Keller, running for her life, would spurn Tesler? When he's offering her a second chance? No, I'll tell you what happened. I'll bet you anything Keller was on her knees, begging for a second chance and Tesler derezzed her with her own disc. No one defects from Tesler's army and gets away from it."

Paige was quiet.

"By bringing her back to Tesler, you sentenced her to death."

"_No_," Paige spoke strongly, but there was a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. "I was saving her. General Tesler knew her talents would be of great use to the Occupation. He wouldn't derez her without good reason. She deserved it. Whatever happened to Keller, she brought it upon herself."

Beck let out a heavy sigh. Paige was stubborn, and he knew when he couldn't budge her, even when he had reason on his side.

"Fine. But will you at least admit that I saved your life?"

"I can't _believe_ I asked you out."

Beck resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

_Flynn_, this was going to be difficult.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Turn**

"Alright, so when was the other time that you claim to have 'saved me'? Just so that we're clear about this."

Paige put on a neutral tone, but on the inside she was scrambling, recalling every memory she had about Beck – and the Renegade.

Beck was looking at her, but there was no telling what kind of expression was behind the mask. She almost demanded him to remove it, but quickly stopped herself. She realized that knowing Beck as the Renegade wasn't quite on the same level as physically _seeing_ him as the Renegade. She wasn't ready to handle it. There was still a part of her that believed they were two different Programs.

"I thought the third time was obvious. When Tesler had you fighting in the Coliseum."

She was quiet again.

According to Tesler and Pavel, the Renegade was the one who had wanted the false memory planted on her disc. But now that she knew the Renegade was Beck… Could he have been so devious as to go out with her, plan her demise behind her back, and then rescue her in an attempt to recruit her to his side? That was certainly twisted.

She couldn't forget about Pavel either. She knew he would do anything to rise in the ranks, and she shuddered, thinking about how he would resort to _any_ means to achieve his goal.

She knew Pavel, though. Which was why she knew it could have been entirely his doing, leaving the Renegade innocent.

But the problem was that she _didn't_ know the Renegade. What if he was as twisted as Pavel? Then who was to blame?

"Paige? Did you hear me?"

"Of course I heard you," Paige spoke sharply, and for some strange reason she immediately regretted it.

"So you're agreeing that I saved you?"

"I'm not agreeing to anything."

* * *

><p>Beck could see the internal struggle clearly on her face. She wasn't like the others in Clu's army. She was different, and she could be turned. He had tried once, and failed. But that wasn't going to stop him from trying again. He had to convince Paige that he was fighting for a just cause. The stakes couldn't get any higher than they already were.<p>

* * *

><p>"What are you doing?"<p>

Beck had moved behind her and was fidgeting with the light cuffs.

"I just thought you might be uncomfortable."

"So you're taking them off?" Paige was incredulous.

She heard Beck give a breathy laugh.

"Not entirely."

She felt the cuffs around her ankles vanish and immediately stood up. Beck had risen with her and reached out a hand to steady her.

"Slow down there."

"I'm fine," she jerked away from his touch.

She knew she was lying through her teeth, but she didn't care. Kneeling for so long had disrupted the energy flow to her legs and now she was paying for it. She wobbled a couple of steps away from him and leaned against the wall of the crate.

"You're welcome."

Paige could have sworn he was smiling behind that mask.

"I didn't thank you."

His voice was sober when he responded.

"You never do."

* * *

><p>Beck watched as Paige regained the feeling in her legs by pacing around the crate. It was a small area, so she ended up doing a lot of rounds. Suddenly she stopped, and in two smooth movements, pulled her cuffed hands from behind her body to in front.<p>

He tensed, unsure of what her next moved was.

Paige seemed to sense his unease.

"Relax. I'm not going to try anything."

He let out a deep breath, closing his eyes.

"Alright, Paige. I trust you."

When he opened them, Paige was staring at him, mouth slightly open. In the next moment, she had turned away, refusing to meet his gaze.

* * *

><p>He had retracted the helmet. She felt as if he had physically punched her. It was so…<em>wrong<em>, seeing his face, and then the mark of Tron on his chest. She didn't know what to do with herself. He was the Renegade. He was Beck. He was everything she cared about. He was everything she hated.

She didn't know who he was at all. But at the same time, she felt like she knew him better than any other Program.

She knew how to ambush him as the Renegade, when she staged that accident and discovered he had Shaw's power upgrade disc.

She knew where to take him on their first date, when they dived from the light chopper, and she raced with him to the bottom.

She knew she was denying the obvious. Beck _was_ the Renegade. That didn't stop her from staying in fierce denial, though.

But if he didn't put that mask back up, she knew she would eventually crack.

* * *

><p>"Paige?"<p>

She didn't look up when he called her name.

"What?"

"Look at me."

Silence.

"You joined Clu because you wanted perfection, right?"

She didn't answer, which was what he expected.

"Then I'll tell you where to find it. Perfection was the moment right before the Occupation arrived in Argon. Before they dropped that statue of Clu on our field. Before they derezzed my friend Bodhi right in front of me."

He heard Paige's sharp intake of breath, and he kept going.

"All of it was perfect, Paige. And the Occupation took all of it away."

Slowly, she looked up, her eyes finally meeting his.

"I'm sorry."

He didn't mean to bring up Bodhi, but it was the only way he could start explaining himself - why he had to fight as the Renegade. It didn't matter how much time had passed, Bodhi's death still hurt him. And along with Able's and Cutler's…

The sincerity in Paige's eyes was unsettling, as if she personally understood his pain. He almost looked away from the intensity of it when she spoke softly.

"I didn't join Clu because I was looking perfection."

She seemed hesitant, as though it was hard for her to go on.

"Then why, Paige?"

He stayed silent, hoping she would continue anyway.

When she didn't, he walked towards her slowly, until he was standing right in front of her.

"It's okay."

"I told you before that I was a medic."

He nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"It was the ISO's, Beck. I helped them, gave them medical aid, and they betrayed me. They derezzed everyone at my medical center," her voice cracked, "All of my friends…gone."

She looked so vulnerable at that moment, so unlike herself, that Beck found himself moving towards her, wanting to offer her comfort in her grief.

She backed away from him though, her voice hardening.

"General Tesler was the one who found me. He saved me and gave me a place in Clu's army, so what happened to me won't happen to any other Program ever again."

Beck didn't know what to say.

"_That's_ why I fight for Clu."

* * *

><p>She felt good after her speech. It made her stronger, remembering why she was Commander Paige and why she fought for Clu.<p>

She was fed up with not knowing. She was done with fussing over who the Renegade was.

Because he was standing in front of her, and how could she forget that he had betrayed her to?

* * *

><p>Beck was still struggling with what to say when Paige beat him to it.<p>

"And _you_. I trusted you once, and you betrayed me just like the ISO's!"

Beck was stunned.

"What?"

"On the island! You don't remember when you left me to drown? If it wasn't for General Tesler again, I wouldn't be alive right now!"

Beck made a sound of frustration.

"I didn't abandon you, Paige! How was I supposed to reach you? I ran to get the boat, but Tesler got to you before I did."

Paige was about to speak when he cut her off.

"Will you just stop? Look."

Reaching behind him, he pulled off his disc, and the memory immediately started playing.

Paige saw herself hanging from the cliff side, heard her voice call out when he turned and ran. She watched as he scooped up the power pack, started the boat and raced to try to reach her in time. It was strange, seeing herself fall into the water, the debris hitting her from above. Paige watched as he dove into the water, swimming for her unconscious body when the chopper's retrieval claw pulled her out of the water.

Paige let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding as she watched the memory of him swim back to the boat.

When he surfaced, she heard him speak.

"I hope someday you realize that I'm one of the good guys."

The memory stopped there, and he placed the disc on his back again.

"I didn't abandon you, Paige. And I really am one of the good guys."

* * *

><p>The first thing she wanted to do was accuse him of using a fake memory. But the idea was so ridiculous that she had to dismiss it. Why would he have had that memory, of all things, planted? <em>She <em>was the one who had brought up the island. Not to mention that the forging of those memories onto his disc would have been highly painful and dangerous.

She had to accept that it was real. He had been trying to save her. He didn't betray her trust.

Beck was watching as she thought this through, his expression open and sincere.

She was beginning to realize that he truly thought he was fighting for the right side. His friend had been derezzed because of the Occupation. She could understand why he became the Renegade.

But she was fighting for a just cause as well. Her friends were derezzed because of the ISO's. She owed her allegiance to Clu, the Program who would save the Grid from the ISO's.

As she thought, Paige realized that they might have been on different sides, but in the end, they weren't that different after all.

* * *

><p>Even though Paige hadn't spoken, Beck could tell what she was thinking as her expression softened.<p>

"You can trust me Paige."

He saw her hesitate, as though she was initially trying to contradict it, but then her features smoothed over, and she gave the tiniest nod.

And Beck smiled, because they were _finally_ getting somewhere.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Trust**

It was strange admitting that she could trust him, but the more Paige thought about it, the more she realized it was true.

Rolling her shoulders, she looked down at her hands in front of her, which were still cuffed.

"If I can trust you, can you trust me?"

And then she saw the hesitation on his face.

"It has to go both ways, Beck," her voice was sharp again.

Without a word, he reached for her light cuffs, freeing her right hand then promptly snapped the cuff around _his_ right hand.

"I _do _trust you, Paige," he quickly, before she could say anything. "But that doesn't change where we both stand in this conflict."

"You think I'll go running back to General Tesler?"

He gave her a look that didn't need words.

She bit her lip, feeling like they both knew the answer to the question.

"Where else would you go, Paige?" His words were gentle.

She looked around lost.

"I fight for Clu, Beck. You know why. It's where I belong."

"And what will you say when Tesler asks you about the Renegade? What will you do when you see me on the streets?"

"I…" she trailed off, getting nowhere fast.

"Exactly."

She looked down at their linked hands. She had less than a foot of tether – that was it.

"I trust you Paige, really. But I can't let you go just yet."

He finished his sentence with a sharp tug on the cuffs.

"General Tesler…"

"Hmm?" Beck had pushed aside the opening in the crate and was peering out at the docks.

"When I was on curfew patrol, a guard informed me that General Tesler required my presence at Argon Square – because the Renegade was there."

She noticed that he was visibly cringing at the words.

"_Beck._"

The opening creaked shut.

"How is it that General Tesler was dealing with the Renegade at Argon Square, when you were near the docks, on the _other side _of the City?"

* * *

><p>And just when he thought the stakes couldn't get any higher, he realized that he was going to have to inform her about Tron. If he kept this up, Paige would know everything there was to know about the uprising.<p>

He sighed.

"Because…the Program in the Square wasn't the Renegade."

"Then who was he?"

Beck hesitated.

"Tron."

* * *

><p>Paige stared at him for a good micro.<p>

"Tron."

"Yes."

"Tron's dead."

"If that's what you believe."

"Going to stick with that story?"

"It's the truth," Beck sighed.

Paige was exasperated.

"Can we just stop for now? I've been up this entire cycle and I just…don't want to do this anymore."

It was the closest she was going to admit to being tired – to admitting weakness.

"Fine," Beck replied. "I don't know about you, but I am sick of this crate, so can we just head to my place?"

"Your place?"

"That's what I said."

"And how do you propose we get there? Hmm?"

She raised their joined hands in front of his face.

"We can walk to the station from here. It's not too far. That'll take us to where we're going."

"You want to take the train?"

"I highly doubt it's going to plunge off a broken bridge."

Despite herself, she smiled.

"Fine."

* * *

><p>Reaching behind him, Beck pulled off his disc, changing from Renegade to civilian.<p>

He caught Paige staring, but decided not to mention it out loud.

Just before he was about to slide the opening to the crate aside, he turned around and gave Paige a quick look up down.

"What?"

"I don't know whether Tesler has started looking for you yet, so…"

Paige looked like she knew where this was going.

"No."

"The red circuitry has got to go, Paige. I don't want anyone to recognize you in the City."

"_No_."

"Alright, then we'll just stay in this crate."

"You can't keep me here forever."

Beck let out a heavy breath.

"The only way I'm letting you back into the City is if you don't look like yourself. It's not a big deal. You can always change back later, can't you?"

He knew Paige wasn't going to admit it, but she was sick of the cramped space in the crate as well.

She wouldn't meet his eyes, but after a micro he saw her give him a small nod.

"Great, now hand me your disc."

"I can do it myself."

* * *

><p>Reaching behind her, Paige pulled off her disc. Yanking Beck closer to her, she managed to get both of her hands on the disc to change her circuitry colour. White was a neutral Program colour, but she left small highlights of medic green.<p>

"There."

Looking up, she found him staring at her.

"What?"

He quickly looked away, and when he spoke his voice sounded off.

"Nothing."

She raised an eyebrow.

"You look nice."

"It was just circuitry colour."

He was grinning.

"It still looks nice, Paige."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Energy**

He couldn't get used to seeing her like that. Without the harsh colouring of her red circuitry, she looked sweet and innocent. Beck almost laughed out loud. Paige was everything _except _sweet and innocent.

He was about to walk out of the crate when he was jerked back by Paige.

"So, apparently my red circuitry was questionable, but two Programs handcuffed together wouldn't be?"

"Oh, right."

Pulling out Bodhi's recoder, he flipped it in his hand and saw Paige's eyes widen slightly.

"Brings back memories, huh?"

"When I saw you at the Garage after our first fight - it _was_ you."

"Mmmm."

He had already attached the recoder to the cuffs and was busy reconfiguring the design.

"That should do it."

At first glance the cuffs looked like they had vanished, but then Paige realized that Beck had simply made them transparent. If she looked hard enough, she could still see them, but she doubted any Program on the street would notice.

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

><p>By the time they reached Beck's place it was early in the cycle and Programs were getting ready or already arriving at work.<p>

It was probably the strangest time to enter sleep mode, but Paige didn't care. She was exhausted.

True to her training though, she still kept a thorough map of Beck's place in her mind noting entrances and exits as well as how the rooms were situated.

The apartment was simple, even for one Program, and it looked like it was even less lived in than her place. And that was saying something. He didn't even keep any energy on hand.

"There's only one bed, but I think we'll both fit."

She wasn't sure what expression was on her face at the moment, but Beck responded with, "If you think I'm sleeping on the floor, I'd like to remind you that I was up all of last cycle as well."

Beck led her into the room where she stopped at the side of his bed.

"You're not going to remove the cuffs?"

"Nice try. Now get on the bed."

Paige blinked.

"You first."

"Alright, then."

Beck got onto his side of the bed and Paige followed. They lay face to face, their cuffed hands between them. Paige wished that she could roll over, so that she didn't have to enter sleep mode with him watching her, but the cuffs prevented that, and of course she couldn't lie on her back because of her disc.

She let out a sigh.

"Go to sleep, Paige."

"I'll go to sleep wh-"

She stopped, realising that he had already entered sleep mode.

* * *

><p>Paige opened her eyes to find Beck watching her.<p>

"When did you exit sleep mode?"

"A few micros ago," he paused. "You look…peaceful when you sleep."

"Oh, really?"

Beck smiled and she pushed him off of the bed. He hit the ground hard and Paige grinned. Grabbing hold of the tether between the cuffs Beck yanked, pulling Paige off of the bed as well.

She landed heavily on him, laughing.

As Beck looked up at the smile on her face, he realized that this was the first time he was hearing her truly laugh. It was nice.

"How do you feel?"

"Better," Paige smiled. "Energy deprived, but better."

"Why don't we go out for a drink then?"

"Sounds good."

* * *

><p>The walk to the bar was a short one. Halfway there Paige felt Beck's hand wrap around hers.<p>

"What are you doing?"

"We're already handcuffed together, Paige. Besides, I thought this would look more natural."

* * *

><p>The bar was busy when they arrived, as most Programs had finished their shifts at work.<p>

"I'll take +2.7 energy," Paige spoke to the bartender.

Beck looked at her surprised, "That's pretty strong, Paige."

"Well, it's the usual for me."

Beck turned to the bar tender, "+2.7 as well."

"Really, Beck?" Paige felt herself holding back a smile.

Beck however, gave his smiles out freely, "It's what I always get."

* * *

><p>Once they received their drinks they found a seat near the back to talk. Because of the handcuffs they had to sit side by side, but Paige didn't mind.<p>

"That wasn't your first time taking a nose dive off a light chopper was it? On our first date?"

"No. But the first time I met you, it was."

Paige was silent, remembering the arrogance in his voice as he leapt out the bay doors and into the Outlands. She could remember watching him fall, coming to the realization that she had vastly underestimated him.

"You certainly looked like you knew what you were doing," she murmured, sipping her drink.

Beck laughed.

"Yeah, well. That's all there was to it. Just the suit and pretending I knew what I was doing. Honestly, I was just making it up as I went along, hoping I didn't end up derezzed at the end of the cycle."

"You need to give yourself more credit, Mechanic. What you did was impressive."

He leaned back, his drink in hand.

"You know, I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing that."

Paige was caught between laughing and wanting to punch him.

"Question-"

"Answer," Beck grinned, half raising his drink.

"Between being a mechanic and the Renegade, how does being good at pool play a part in it?"

He leaned over to nudge his shoulder against hers.

"You weren't jealous that I was winning, were you?"

"Of course not," Paige scoffed, downing the last of her energy. "Besides, you can't be good at everything, Architect."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N** Just wanted to give a huge thank you to all the people who have favourited, followed or reviewed this story so far! :) Hugs and cookies all around :) You guys are awesome! :)

**Chapter 6: Tron**

It didn't take long for Beck to realize that Tron would be wondering where he was. And he wasn't quite sure how much Tesler thought about Paige, but he knew it wouldn't be too long before a serious search for her began. As soon as that happened, the quick circuitry change would no longer be a good enough disguise.

But right at this moment, laughing with Paige, he wished he could ignore all of his responsibilities. He wished they were just simple civilian Programs, living their simple civilian lives together. Beck the mechanic and Paige the medic. Nothing could have sounded sweeter.

But he was the Renegade, and she was a Commander in Clu's army.

"Simple" just wasn't going to happen.

* * *

><p>"We need to head to Argon Square."<p>

They had finished refilling on energy long ago and though Beck wanted to keep talking, he knew that he had to speak with Tron soon.

As they left the bar, Beck looked down to see Paige twining her fingers with his. He allowed himself a small smile.

"Well?" Paige asked after they had been standing in the Square for a while.

Beck was still looking around, paying particular attention to any dark and shaded areas where a Program could hide. Someplace like the bench where he had once spoken to Tron about Mara.

Finally, Beck thought he found who he was looking for.

"This way."

He led Paige close to a dark alley. Keeping them in the glowing lights of the square, Beck tried to make the scene look as if it was only about the two of them – without the addition of a third Program.

Paige, however, was having none of that. She was staring so blatantly at Tron, he wondered how many other Programs would follow her odd angle of sight and come to realize someone was hiding in the shadows.

Tron seemed to have thrown all caution out the window as well when he spoke first.

"I distinctly remember _not _telling you to handcuff yourself to a member of the Occupation when we last spoke. Correct me if I'm wrong."

Beck briefly wondered if his incessant back-talking and sense of humour was beginning to rub off on Tron.

It was a little difficult to tell in the dark, but Beck could guess from the silhouette that Tron was facing Paige exclusively now.

"Hello, Commander."

"Hello."

To her credit, Paige's tone betrayed no hint of surprise.

"Beck."

And…he was back on the spot.

"What happened?"

Beck hesitated for some time, long enough for Paige to whisper in his ear.

"Is he…?"

Beck gave what he thought to be a rather imperceptible nod, which of course, was noticed by both Paige and Tron.

Neglecting to answer Tron's question, he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Paige, this is… a friend."

It was clear Paige was trying to keep her face emotionless, as she subtly scrutinized the shadow in the alley.

Beck could feel the heavy weight of Tron's gaze settling on him.

"She knows?"

"She knows."

The sigh sounded frustrated, and above all, exasperated beyond belief.

In the silence that followed, Beck knew that Tron was analyzing the situation presented. Tron had caught on to Paige's disguise immediately, and had noticed the handcuffs as well.

Paige continued analyzing Tron, to the point where Beck began to wonder what thoughts were going through her head. She couldn't possibly need to keep staring at him for so long – there was only so much that could be concluded from a shadowy figure.

Eventually, Beck broke the silence.

"Well?" He spoke to no one in particular.

Tron was the one who answered.

"I'm leaving this one in your hands, Beck. Whatever you've done, the consequences are now your responsibility."

Beck was only slightly surprised. Part of him had expected Tron to say something of the sort. He was mostly relieved that Tron hadn't ordered him to derez her.

"Then we take her with us - out of the City."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Outlands**

Beck spared Paige a quick sideways glance, before focussing his attention back to Tron.

"She knows that I…" Beck paused, stopping himself before he ended up voicing important information so openly, "either way, taking her to the hideout is the best option right now."

"No. It's what _you_ believe is the best option – there's a difference." Tron had a hard tone that suggested the idea of derezzing Paige hadn't been _that_ far from his mind.

Beck swallowed hard.

"Look, I know I messed up-"

Tron was shaking his head.

"It's in the past, Beck. You can't change it. I'm letting you handle this now because you _must_ to be responsible for your own mistakes. If you can't do that... If _anything _goes wrong…"

Beck had already finished the thought in his mind.

_The uprising is over._

"We'll continue this conversation later."

Tron turned, vanishing into the darkness of the alley. Without hesitation, Beck led Paige out of light and they followed.

As they walked, Beck wondered what had made Paige so compliant all of a sudden. But then again, Tron tended to have that effect on Programs. Even if Paige believed in Clu, she was nonetheless curious about the Program currently leading them to the City outskirts.

Eventually they came to the edge of Argon.

"Beck, remove the cuffs."

He followed Tron's order without hesitation.

"And if you're thinking of trying anything, know that you'll have both me and Beck to deal with."

"I'm well aware of that." Paige was curt, if nothing else.

Tron pulled out his baton, and turned to address Beck.

"She's riding with you."

Nodding as his light cycle rezzed, Beck seated himself and waited for Paige to follow suit.

She hesitated, feeling Tron's gaze intensify with suspicion. He was still gripping his baton, and his stance indicated that his attention was focussed entirely on her - should she make the slightest suggestion of bolting.

Settling herself behind Beck, she briefly recalled the last time she had been in the same position. In the Argon City tunnels, racing ahead of a deadly explosion, she had taken it as an opportunity to finally finish off the Renegade. Only at the last micro had her sensibility returned to her, and she stopped her attacks, realizing her own life was at stake as well.

Beck was right. He had saved her life that cycle. She remembered facing him after being thrown off the ride, unable to say anything, watching him speed away.

As she made her way back to General Tesler, any strange feeling of gratitude towards him had completely turned into bitter regret that he was still alive. And then she had placed the incident behind her, as if nothing had changed. The Renegade was still out there, terrorizing the City. She was still obligated to capture him - a task that was becoming much more difficult than she originally thought.

And now she had him, her arms wound tightly around his midsection. Well, she didn't want to get thrown off his light cycle again, and the Outlands were rugged terrain. She pressed herself tightly against him, if only to be more streamlined. The winds of the Outlands were brutal. Tron was following behind them, and she knew he kept her within his sights the entire ride.

As time passed, Paige couldn't help the dread that was gradually growing within her. Thinking back, she almost wished that she had never discovered Beck's identity as the Renegade. Maybe things would have been easier in the long run if she never knew.

"Paige?"

Beck's question shook her from her thoughts, pulling her back into reality. He had only spoken her name, but the undertones had been obvious. She could sense his inquisitiveness in the lilt, and his concern for her in the soft tone of the question.

She wanted to assure him that she was alright, but the truth was she was far from it. She had gone from hating the Renegade to…something else entirely. And finding out that Tron was still alive…

Instead of the "I'm okay" she had wanted to give him, the only thing that escaped her lips was, "I'm here."

There was no reply, but for a single moment Paige sensed one, resting on the tip of his tongue. Then she felt him withdraw again, leaving her with her own thoughts.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Hideout**

The smooth path rezzing as they crossed between two small hills was a bit of a giveaway to the location of the hideout, she noted. Not that it really mattered so far into the Outlands. Whatever Paige had been expecting, it certainly hadn't been this hulk of a hideout looming over her. In truth, when Beck used the term "hideout" she had pictured something smaller, primitive and more cave like situated in the Outlands. The sharp peak had not been unusual from a distance. There had been similar sights throughout the journey, but to know that inside was where Tron lived…It made all the difference.

They entered through a large hangar-like door, which closed with a soft pneumatic hiss as soon as her feet touch the ground. Tron's hand locked around her upper arm, leading her towards an elevator in the back.

They got out on the fourth floor, stepping into a casual lounge. It was spacious with minimalist furniture like any other lounge. However, Paige was accustomed to seeing black and red colouring her world, and now she saw only white and blue.

She felt Beck's presence behind her, but when she tried to turn, Tron prevented her from twisting around. The grip on her arm tightened as she felt something press and click onto her back.

"Did you just lock my disc?" She had been expecting it, but that didn't make the situation any better. Tron let go of her arm. The Program certainly had an energy disrupting grip, as her fingers tingled when they reached behind her. Without bothering to answer her question, Tron spoke.

"It also prevents you from entering any rooms that are off limits – and from leaving the compound."

She managed to glimpse the light blue Y that glowed in the space within her disc by twisting around and catching her reflection off a glossy wall panel.

She grimaced. "Great."

"It's just a precaution, Paige." Beck's eyes were sympathetic as they met hers.

"I understand," she replied, keeping her tone clipped.

Tron interjected before anyone else could speak.

"Commander, I suggest you try to make yourself at home. Beck. Upstairs. _Now_."

She watched as Beck stiffened, seemingly unwilling to move, but then he exhaled and turned from her, disappearing with Tron in the elevator.

* * *

><p>Paige wandered the room, looking around, though she was unsure as to why she was going through with the motions. She may not have had a choice concerning Beck's alter ego, but she realized that it was her partial consent that brought her to where she was at the moment. She knew she was strong enough, smart enough, to get away from Beck if she wanted to. And she knew that if she had the determination, she might have been able to escape both him and Tron. Even inside the hideout, she had the knowledge and resources to break the lock on her disc, steal a light cycle and ride full speed back to Argon. But she didn't. She wondered if she should be ashamed that she had been captured so easily. She wondered if she should be even more ashamed that she didn't even try a single plan of escape. She sighed, sinking into a seat.<p>

As her gaze drifted over an isolated shelf in the corner of the room, she realized that there was something resting on it. Curious, she stood and walked toward the shelf, eyes slowly widening as she identified the object. It was a Monome. Her hand hovered over keys, a song already beginning its pattern in her head before her fingers curled and she pulled away. But her eyes could not look away, and the next thing she knew, she was sitting again, her feet pulled up underneath her, Monome clutched close.

_What am I going to do?_

She still stood firmly by her beliefs. She owed that much to her friends. But she also knew that Beck came from the exact same place. How on the Grid they managed to end up on completely opposing sides, she could only reason as deriving from circumstance. And now there was a third Program in play: Tron.

She remembered everything she learned from being in the Occupation. That Tron fought for Flynn. That Flynn fought for the ISO's. That Tron was therefore the enemy. But she thought back to a time from before the army and General Tesler. When the name Tron was spoken with a reverence reserved for a Program of power. And even from the opposing side, Paige knew Tron was a great Program in his own right.

But he still fought for the ISO's…

Paige knew she could find it within herself to forgive Beck. But Tron… Tron was a different matter entirely.

* * *

><p>The tension in the elevator was thick enough to be sliced by a light disc. When they exited, Tron wasted no time in getting straight to the point.<p>

"Everything. From the beginning. And don't leave anything out."

Beck took a deep breath. And then he began.

He was tracking a Recognizer on curfew patrol, and decided that his best approach would be to preserve the element of surprise. He was running down the narrow side street, energy buzzing, ready to take down whatever the Occupation was going to throw at him. What he didn't realize at the time was another Program running full speed, right around the corner.

He paused. And after another micro of silence, Tron spoke.

"Paige, I assume."

"Well, yes. But…Remember when you asked if I had my helmet repaired? I…didn't."

Tron's disapproving glare managed to increase exponentially.

"So you blatantly lied to me. And not only that, but you were foolish enough to go up against the Occupation knowing you were risking exposure at any given moment."

"I was busy! It's not like I wear a mask every cycle. I just didn't have the time, alright?" Even in his own ears, Beck knew his excuse was weak.

"You're better than this, Beck."

The disappointment hurt far worse than the anger.

"I'm sorry." But he knew that the apology meant nothing to Tron. The only way he could atone for his actions would be to rebuild his trust with Tron, and show him that he was capable of leading the Revolution. It would take time.

The silence extended until Tron sighed, weary.

"Continue."

* * *

><p>Beck was drained by the time he finished. The Grid was dark and he realized that he had been talking for so long; most programs would be in the middle of sleep mode by now.<p>

Tron's gaze was fixed on some far away point, as he contemplated what Beck had just told him.

"Everything that has happened before the arrival of Clu will seem like a joke compared to what's going to come. This is a critical time, Beck, for the Revolution and for you. I only wish that you hadn't complicated it."

Beck had no doubt that the "complication" Tron was referring to was Paige.

"Whatever happens, remember not to let your emotions cloud your judgement. Now more than ever."

"I understand."

"No, Beck. I need you to promise me. This is important."

He nodded solemnly. "I promise."

"Good."

Tron's gaze shifted to Argon City.

"Weren't you supposed to meet up with your friends next cycle? You should probably try to catch some sleep before then."

Beck nodded, feeling a bit of relief that Tron was willing to put the incident behind them at the moment.

"I'll see you the cycle after next, then."

* * *

><p>Against his better judgement, Beck stopped the elevator on the fourth floor.<p>

He found Paige curled up in a seat meant for two, her long legs pulled underneath her, her head on the armrest. She had entered sleep mode despite the uncomfortable position, meaning that she must have been exhausted when she did. A Monome was sitting on the floor next to the chair. Beck stared at it, wondering where in the room Paige had managed to find it. It was a bit of an enigma, questioning why Tron even owned one, or what Paige was even going to do with it. Knowing Paige, she might have intended to take it apart and try to use the parts to unlock her disc.

He smiled as Paige stirred, a puff of breath escaping her and briefly parting the hair that fell in front of her face. He guessed that she hadn't wandered into the bedrooms yet, which was strange since he had expected her to do a full reconnaissance of the floor. Beck knew that she would not appreciate exiting sleep mode in a different place than where she entered, but the chair was clearly not designed for sleep. Her legs would be cut off from energy flow if she kept them curled up like that for too long.

Before he could stop himself, he leaned over and picked her up, carrying her towards a spare bedroom. Gently placing her on the bed, she naturally spread out, stretching her limbs. When he brushed the hair out of her face, he could have sworn there was a soft smile on her lips for a micro.

Shaking his head, he went back to the lounge for the Monome. Turning the musical device in his hands, he couldn't find any text on it that would give him a clue about its origins, or how it ended up in Tron's possession. Not knowing what else to do with it, he left it on the nightstand next to Paige. With one final glance at her, he left.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Monome**

Tron watched the security footage as Beck made his little detour to the fourth floor.

He sighed. The young Program still had a way to go. He had grown tremendously in his training, but despite his honest intentions, his emotions were still ruling his head. And unfortunately, Tron was beginning to notice that Beck had a tendency of learning things the hard way. Tron really couldn't blame him for much though. His faults were small, yet the consequences of those faults were anything but. It was just a part of his responsibility as the Renegade.

His thoughts were interrupted as something on screen caught his attention. Beck had returned to the lounge and was holding something Tron hadn't seen in a very long time. A very, very long time. He watched as Beck examined the object, and then carried it back to Paige in the bedroom.

_Yori._

* * *

><p>The first thing Paige saw as she exited sleep mode was the Monome. <em>That's strange; I thought I left that on the floor.<em> It took Paige another nano to realize she was not in the lounge anymore. Bolting upright, she took in her new surroundings. Glancing back at the Monome, she decided that it must have been Beck that moved her. A knock startled her.

"May I come in?"

_Tron_.

"Enter."

"Did you sleep well?"

"As well as expected."

She watched as his eyes swept the room, settling on the Monome for just a nano too long.

"Where's Beck?"

"Argon."

Something seemed to shift in the moment that followed, and she knew whatever pretense of small talk that had just occurred was over.

"Why are you here?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I know that you could have escaped as soon as Beck started removing your cuffs. Because I know that you, unlike Beck, are able to keep your emotions out of your work. So I'm asking you again, Commander. Why are you here?"

Well, he wasn't a security Program for nothing. She went back over what he said about keeping her emotions out of her work. Internally she scoffed. If only he knew.

"How are you alive? Clu derezzed you himself. How do I know you're not an imposter, another Renegade, bent on opposing the system?"

"Do you believe that I'm an imposter?"

"No," she gritted out truthfully.

He seemed surprised by her honesty, before he turned away, hiding the expression on his face.

"Clu captured me. He tortured me and scarred me, but he didn't derez me. I escaped. That's all you need to know."

She sat silently. He didn't sound like he was lying. Not that it really mattered to her anyway. He had already established where he stood in this conflict.

"I think we're done here." She spoke with a quiet strength in her words.

Tron looked as though he was going to contradict her, but he didn't.

"Fine."

As he turned to leave, he paused.

"Paige?"

"Yes?"

"If I find as much as a scratch on that Monome, it's your disc next. Am I clear?"

"Perfectly."

The door closed with a final hiss.

* * *

><p>Paige got up after a while, frustrated with herself. <em>You are not a helpless Program, Paige. You found Tron and you found his hideout. Now get back to General Tesler and Clu and tell them everything.<em>

She stopped herself. _Beck_. She would be betraying him. But he was on the wrong side. It wasn't his fault, though…

Picking up the Monome, she left the bedroom. Following the hallway, she ended up back in the lounge. Frowning, she felt annoyed with herself for not properly scouting the floor last cycle. Walking past the lounge, she eventually found herself in a room with smooth countertops and bottles of energy lining the shelves. Pouring herself a glass, she took a seat on one of the stools by the counter and took a deep, refreshing drink. For a moment she pretended that she was back in her quarters on Tesler's ship. It was a little hard with the white and blue everywhere, but the moment of relaxation was exactly what she needed. Feeling significantly better, she began to play.

* * *

><p>The protest in the square had not gone well. There were too many Programs for Tesler to round up for the Games, and while that gave them the chance to protest the curfew, it also served to further aggravate the General. He would never forget their disobedience, and if Tesler was ever given the chance, the Programs would pay for their insolence.<p>

Tron sighed. He had done the best that he could. By getting Tesler and his guards to leave first, Programs were able to return to their homes safely. They were rebelling, but still not ready for a full scale revolution. It would be hard, and he wondered how many would truly persevere and how many would surrender to Clu once they saw the grueling path to freedom.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the sudden sound of music.

_Where was that coming from?_

Pulling up the security footage he was surprised to find Paige in the energy store playing Yori's Monome.

* * *

><p>"Tron, this is fantastic. Once we find someone who knows how to play…"<p>

"Yori, we don't know anyone programmed for music. There's no point in owning one."

"You never know. One cycle we might find a Program and then you'll be thanking me."

One look at Yori's sweet smile and he let the subject drop.

* * *

><p>After Pavel had taken over Able's Garage and fired all the mechanics, they had broken up into smaller groups, offering their services from homes that were turned into shops accessible to civilian Programs. Mara's home was one of them. She had a good Architect recode her lower floor into a small garage, leaving the second floor as her only living space. They had been divided, but not conquered. If anything the Occupation would be struggling to make repairs on their many vehicles. Pavel would soon be regretting his decisions.<p>

As he pulled into Mara's garage, he found her waiting. Tucking his baton away, she was already approaching him.

"Beck? Are you okay? You look exhausted. And where have you been lately? Zed went looking for you last cycle. Is everything okay?"

He blinked, taking in Mara's big blue eyes filled with concern for him.

"Sorry. I've just been having a lot of issues with sleep mode recently. Don't worry about it. I'm sure it'll fix itself in a couple of cycles."

And there it was: another flawless lie. He wondered if the truth would ever come out.

"Oh, Beck. Maybe you should go talk to a medic. That can't be good."

He was saved from replying when Zed showed up.

"Mara. Beck! Hey, where have you been, Beck?"

"Oh, you know. Around. I've been spending some time at bars. Just needing more energy I guess."

"Energy? Why?"

Mara answered for him.

"Beck hasn't been feeling well. He's been having issues with his sleep mode."

"Huh, you do look worn out. Maybe you should go see a medic."

Beck caught his reflection in a window pane behind Zed. He had to admit, he looked pretty ragged. His circuitry was also dim.

"I've already told him to. Actually, we should probably take him there now."

"What? No! No, I'm fine really. There's no need to –"

"I've made up my mind, Beck. Let's go."

Mara had that look of determination on her face, and he knew that nothing could stop her at this point.

As soon as he pulled out his baton, Mara was on his case again.

"Beck, you can't drive in this condition. You're riding double, with Zed."

He internalized his sigh.

"Alright then."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Medic**

"Appointment?"

"Um, well, no. But my friend, Beck, has recently been having problems with his sleep mode and needs to see a medic." Mara recovered herself quickly and finished firmly.

They watched as the Program at the desk scrolled through her data pad.

"Very well, a medic will get to you soon. Please take a seat in the waiting room."

"Did she mention how soon was 'soon'?"

"_Zed._" Mara gave him a disapproving look.

As they found three seats in the waiting room together, Beck couldn't help but wonder what Paige would have looked like working in this environment. He tried to picture her in the uniform, or being friendly to civilian Programs.

"Beck? Hi! My name's Penny. I hear you've been having trouble with sleep mode?"

"Uh, yeah."

"This way please."

She led him to a small room with an examining table.

"Make yourself comfortable."

Hopping up, he took a seat on the table.

"I'll need to access your disc."

Her hand was held out politely.

Hesitantly, Beck reached behind him and removed his disc.

"Thank you, Beck. Now when was the last time you saw a medic?"

"Um…"

"Hmm, quite a long time ago I see. For a severe arm injury too. How did that happen?"

Beck was briefly thrown back to the island.

"An accident, at the Garage."

"Oh, you're a mechanic. That's great! My friend needs his light cycle looked at and well…"

She trailed off, as if she couldn't bring herself to mention the Occupation's takeover of Able's Garage.

"You should talk to my friend Mara after. She has a small garage at her place now."

"Thanks, I will."

She smiled before returning her attention back to his disc.

"Whoever healed your arm was very skilled."

_Paige_.

"And I actually can't find any problems with the functioning of your sleep mode. So if you could just wait here while I get a second opinion–"

"Wait! I, uh," Beck gave a nervous laugh. "I actually haven't been entering sleep mode myself. There isn't a problem with the function. My friends were just really worried and they wouldn't take no for an answer…"

There was an amused look on Penny's face.

"Well, in that case, I'm going to get you a glass of refined energy. And I'm also going to tell you to hold off on entering sleep mode until later in the cycle. I know you'll want to enter sleep mode soon, but it'll only disrupt your sleeping pattern further." She paused, her tone becoming serious. "There's been a lot of civil unrest these cycles, and with Clu here it's only going to get worse. Our medical centre has been getting busier, and that's not something I like to see. I want to see safe and healthy Programs, but I'm afraid that won't be happening soon."

She turned directly to him. "Promise me you'll take good care of yourself from now on. Okay, Beck?"

He was briefly startled by her genuine speech.

"I will."

She smiled as she handed him back his disc.

"Alright, now I'll be right back with that energy."

* * *

><p>"Don't let him enter sleep mode until he's supposed to. And if his circuitry gets too dim, get him a glass of energy. Other than that, he should be back to normal soon."<p>

"Thanks for your help, Penny. And I'll keep an eye out for your friend next cycle."

"No problem, Mara. You guys take care, alright?"

"We will. Thanks again!"

* * *

><p>When he pulled out his baton, Mara gave him a look.<p>

"Did she say you were allowed to drive?"

"Uh, yeah."

She still looked skeptical, but didn't push it.

"Okay, then…"

* * *

><p>The ride back to Mara's would have been entirely uneventful if he hadn't nearly swerved into Zed.<p>

"Watch it, Beck!"

MISSING cmdR PAIGE.

"Are you guys okay? Beck?"

"We're fine." Beck shouted distractedly.

Headshots of Paige started to appear on multiple screens. More text followed.

ANY PROGRAM WITH INFORMATION MUST REPORT IMMEDIATELY.

Well, that wasn't going to be happening.

* * *

><p>"You play very well. Were you originally programmed for music?"<p>

Paige's eyes widened with surprise for a nano.

"Beck never told you."

Tron sighed as he took a seat next to her, noting a slight flinch on her part.

"Paige, Beck has been adamant in converting you to our side. Yet I've told him before that winning you over might be a lost cause. Am I right?"

They were caught in a staring contest before Paige looked away first.

"Why do you have this?"

Tron looked down at the Monome.

"It's not mine. It's from a…friend. An old friend from long ago."

"What happened to that friend?"

Tron immediately stood up.

"Commander, if it wasn't for the fact that you know too much, I think I would prefer you back with General Tesler in Argon."

He left before she could respond.

* * *

><p>Mara's garage wasn't very busy, but there was a lot of organizing to do. They also anticipated more customers later once word began to spread.<p>

"I really appreciate the help guys. Between organizing things upstairs, getting the garage ready, and handling customers, I've been feeling a little overwhelmed."

"Mara, we work here now. You don't have to thank us. It's our job."

"Oh, but I do, Zed. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"We're your friends, Mara. We'll always be there for you. Right, Beck?"

"Hmm?" Beck looked up from a tray of tools. "Oh, yeah. Right."

"Mara!"

Beck watched as Zed was unexpectedly hugged.

Pulling back, Mara looked at him. "You too, Beck."

"Oh no, you really don't–"

He really shouldn't have underestimated Mara's strength as she pulled him into a group hug.

* * *

><p>Mara raised her arms in a stretch.<p>

"Whew. Good cycle guys. I think this place is finally up and running as a garage."

Beck stifled a yawn.

"You two better get home before curfew. I think we all need to get some rest."

Zed chuckled.

"Says the Program who was out protesting it two cycles ago."

That jolted Beck awake.

"Wait, you were in Argon Square two cycles ago?"

Zed gave him a look.

"Yeah we were both there, were you?"

"No…but I heard about it. Wasn't Tron there?"

Zed and Mara exchanged glances.

"He was," Zed answered.

"What did he do?"

"Oh, he just made the Occupation leave and told everyone to go home."

"Anyway," Mara continued for Zed. "We're standing up for ourselves now. We don't need Tron, or the Renegade, or whoever he is. I mean, it clearly was too much for him. And he's probably not all that stable after, you know, derezzing Programs. He probably needs the break."

"He's not going to take a break. If you guys are going to be a part of Revolution, he is too."

"Beck, I think you should get some sleep. You've been up for way too long."

Beck stopped himself from saying anything else.

"You're right."

Rezzing his ride, he turned to them before he left.

"I can't come in next cycle. There's something I need to take care of. Say hi to Penny's friend for me."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Return**

Beck had spent most of the cycle looking forward to sleep mode, but now that he was in apartment lying on his bed, he couldn't get his mind to shut down.

_We don't need Tron, or the Renegade, or whoever he is. I mean, it clearly was too much for him. And he's probably not all that stable after, you know, derezzing Programs. _

Beck sighed. The damage inflicted by Cyrus was extensive, and even after the Program's death it continued.

But now he had Tron, back to full health. Staring at the ceiling, Beck remembered that intense feeling of horror, thinking he had been too late to save him. It had been too close. They were lucky. He couldn't even imagine what would have happened if Tron became repurposed by Clu.

But it was okay. Tron was healed. Everything would work out. They could defeat Clu, and they would show the Programs that Tron was someone to look up to – a true leader.

It would work out…

* * *

><p>Beck opened his eyes slowly. He was cuffed. There was water on the ground. A single light shone on him as a black figure with minimal red circuitry stepped forward.<p>

"So Beck, what made you decide to go Renegade?"

He blinked, reliving the moment he first met Tron.

"Tron I know it's you. Haven't we been through this already?"

The figure didn't respond, just reached behind him and pulled off his disc, splitting it into two; a weapon for each hand. They both glowed red.

"Tron! Wait!"

"So you confess to being the Renegade?"

The figure who was _not_ Tron raised the discs.

"Stop!"

The red descended.

He closed his eyes.

"Beck? Beck, it's me."

"Paige?"

He was on the bridge overlooking Argon.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"I…"

"What's the matter, Mechanic? Or should I say Renegade?"

"Paige! I…" He struggled, trying to explain himself.

"Easy, Beck. Relax. It's okay. I'm on your side, remember?"

His brow furrowed, confused.

Paige was smiling.

"Zed and Mara are waiting for us at the Garage. We should probably go."

He stood up, only to find himself in the hands of Clu's guards.

"Get your hands off me!" Paige was struggling against the guards that held her.

"Stop! Let her go!"

Beck watched as one of the guards took her disc, and plunged it through her chest.

"No!"

* * *

><p>Beck hit the ground hard. He blinked, looking around his apartment, realizing that he had fallen off of the bed. <em>Flynn that was horrifying<em>.

Running his fingers through his hair, he tried to forget the nightmarish images that remained in his mind. Looking out a window, he could see that it was the beginning of the new cycle.

He sighed, pulling himself up and grabbing his baton on his way out the door.

They were only dreams.

* * *

><p>He drained two glasses of energy, feeling only marginally better. His reflection showed bright and healthy circuitry, but he was feeling the exact opposite.<p>

It was time to see Tron.

* * *

><p>It had taken some willpower, but Beck managed to go past the fourth floor without stopping the elevator.<p>

"Hey."

"Hello, Beck. I trust everything went well with your friends?"

"Yeah, about that. They told me they were at the protest in Argon Square. The one that you stopped."

Tron sighed.

"A single protest isn't going to stop Clu. I just made sure they were able to get home safely."

"They also said…What Cyrus did as the Renegade–"

"I know what he did, Beck. He wanted Programs against the Renegade, and he succeeded, making our job that much harder. But I believe that with time, we can win back their trust."

"What if we don't have the time?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. Clu's not going down easily. We'll have plenty of opportunities to show them what we truly stand for."

Beck bit his lip, contemplative, as he watched Tron move things around on the screens.

"That's the footage from Clu's arrival."

"I've been trying to figure out his next move. He's been awfully quiet since arriving in Argon."

Beck gave a low whistle as the camera panned, showing the full might of Clu's force.

"What do you think he's planning to do with that army?"

"I have no idea."

"And General Tesler?"

"Tesler's in the dark just as much as we are. It also doesn't help that he has a missing Commander to look for."

Tron gave Beck a sidelong glance.

Beck couldn't help a smirk.

"Have you talked to her?"

Tron didn't respond.

"I left you for a cycle, and you still haven't talked to Paige?"

"I spoke with her."

Tron wasn't looking anywhere near him.

"And?"

"I don't have time for this, Beck. Ask her yourself."

He lifted an eyebrow.

"Okay... I will."

* * *

><p>"Paige? Where are you?"<p>

He was suddenly shoved from behind.

"Paige?!"

Turning around, he barely managed to dodge her fist.

"How was Argon?"

He blocked a few more of her hits, only to get caught in the stomach by her foot.

"Great," he managed to wheeze out.

She grinned at him playfully from her fighting stance.

"Is that all you've got?"

Matching her grin, he lunged for a punch.

The next thing he knew, he was flat on his back. Paige was partially kneeling, his right wrist in her grip, holding it up and perpendicular to the floor, twisting in painfully. Her left foot was pressed down over his left arm. She looked down at him.

"Nice to know I can still beat you without my disc."

"That was embarrassing."

She let him go, and they stood up quickly.

"Nice flip though, I'll have to remember that one next time."

He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw her grin flicker for a moment.

"So, what did you do last cycle? Don't tell me you were waiting there the entire time, just to get me on my back."

"Very funny."

"Well?"

"I explored the floor a bit."

"Did Tron come down here?"

"He did."

"And?"

"And he asked me a few questions."

"And?"

"Just forget about it Beck. Nothing happened."

Beck sighed. "Why does this feel like an interrogation? Both you and Tron refuse to tell me what happened last cycle. You know, nothing is going to get resolved this way."

"I said, let it _go_, Beck."

"Okay, okay," he had his hands up in surrender. "Consider it forgotten. For now."

It was uncomfortably silent for a couple micros.

"Tesler started putting up posters. He's got the entire City looking for you."

Paige looked away before meeting his eyes again.

"What were you doing in Argon?"

He shrugged.

"Just helping out some friends. Mechanic work. Nothing much."

"But Pavel took over the Garage."

"I know. Most of the mechanics from the Garage have set up small businesses elsewhere. They needed some help getting established."

She nodded absentmindedly.

"I also went to see a medic."

"What?!"

He smiled.

"It was nothing. My friends thought I looked sleep deprived. I have no idea why."

She rolled her eyes.

"What did the medic say?"

"That the Program who healed my arm was very skilled."

Paige stared at him for a very long time.

"Beck, I need you upstairs. _Now_." Tron didn't particularly sound patient over the speakers.

Beck sighed.

"Sorry, I'll get back to you later, okay?"

"Okay."

The word was reflexive, and he was gone before she could say anything else.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Mechanics**

"Any headway with what Clu's planning?"

"No. But Pavel's got plans of his own, and you're not going to like them."

Beck crossed his arms, waiting for Tron to continue.

"He's taken over the Garage, but now he's realized that both Tesler and Clu need the mechanics that he fired."

"No…"

Beck moved towards the window, where Tron had zoomed in on the Garage. Guards were leading cuffed Programs into the building.

_Zed. Mara._

"What are we waiting for? We need to free them!"

"Beck. Stop."

Beck glared at him.

"My guess is that Pavel has them working under the threat of being sent to the Games. As long as they do their job, the Occupation doesn't care. If we free them, they'll just be hunted down again, and they won't just be threatened into working, they might be repurposed. They're too valuable to the Occupation now. With dissent among the crowds and all this rebellion, they'll need all of their tanks, cycles, choppers, and jets functioning."

Beck moved back to the window, shifting the focus off the Garage.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking if Mara and Zed are still okay. It'll take some time for the guards to track down everyone. If they haven't been captured yet, I can warn them."

"Beck, I'm not going to stop you. But remember what I told you about keeping your emotions–"

"They're still okay. I need to hurry."

Beck was gone by the time Tron finished.

"Away from your judgment."

* * *

><p>He drove through the back streets quickly and carefully. The last thing he needed was to lead the guards to his friends. Zed's place was closest, and he could only hope that Mara would be alright until he got to her.<p>

He found Zed taking a mid-cycle nap.

"Zed! Zed, you've got to wake up now!"

"Hrff…"

"We need to get to Mara, too!"

"Mara?"

Zed's eyes blinked sleepily before they focused on the Renegade standing above him.

Beck clapped his hand over Zed's mouth before he could alert the neighbourhood.

"Listen to me. Pavel's got his guards hunting for mechanics. They need you to repair the Occupation's vehicles. If you refuse, you'll be sent to the Games. Now, we need to go warn Mara. Do you understand?"

Zed nodded.

Beck removed his hand.

"What happened to your other suit? You know the white one."

"It needed some recoding."

"And this one doesn't?"

"Keep quiet or the guards will catch us."

"Touché."

* * *

><p>Mara was working upstairs when Zed and the Renegade arrived.<p>

"Zed!"

"I know, I know. But he came to warn us, Mara. The Occupation's hunting down mechanics and if we refuse to work for them, they'll send us off to the Games."

Mara was still staring at the Renegade suspiciously.

"Did you kill those Programs?"

"Mara, this really isn't the time–" Zed placed his hand over her arm.

"No, I didn't." His voice was quiet, but somehow resounding.

"Who did, then?"

"It wasn't me, it was an imposter. Please, believe me."

"I guess I'll have to take your word for it. For now." Her eyes refused to leave his face, or rather, his mask.

"Mara, we need to get out of here." Zed was trying to steer her towards the door.

"Wait, what about everyone else! What about Beck? We can't leave them behind!"

"I already talked to Beck, he's safe." As soon as the lie escaped his mouth, he knew he would be regretting it.

"What? Where is he?"

"Uh, I don't know…"

"Zed, we have to go find him!"

"No! That's not what he would want; you two need to get yourselves to safety first." A little bit of desperation clouded the voice of authority he tried to use.

"How do you know what our friend wants? He'd never leave without us, and I'm not leaving without him!"

_Way to go, Beck. You just made this a lot more complicated._

"We can discuss this later. Right now we need to get out of here. It isn't safe."

"Fine."

* * *

><p>They ended up in an alleyway by the Argon train station.<p>

"Now, when you were talking to Beck, did he give you any clue about where he was going?"

Beck sighed. He was facing Mara's determined face.

"No."

"I don't understand. If you warned him first, why didn't he come with you to get us?"

"I don't know."

"Zed, do you have any ideas?"

He shook his head.

"What if he went back to the Garage? Tried to free anyone who was captured?"

"Mara, we are _not_ going to the Garage." Beck hoped she would listen to him.

"Of course, _we_ aren't going to the Garage. You go ahead with your _Renegade_ duties, while Zed and I go find Beck."

"Mara, stop!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm right here."

He held his breath, hoping he hadn't made a terrible mistake.

"_Beck?_"

He stood, afraid to say anything after he retracted his helmet.

Zed broke the silence.

"You know, this actually makes a lot of sense. At least it explains where you disappear to half the time."

"How can you be–"

"The Renegade? Trust me, I tried telling you in the beginning, but I could never bring myself to do it. Then I realized how much danger I'd be putting you in if you knew. So I lied and kept making excuses. I was a terrible friend and I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. But know that I did all of it to protect you guys."

"So you really are the Renegade." Zed didn't question it.

"I really am."

"Beck, what happened to Able?" Mara's eyes were pained.

He sighed.

"Cyrus got a hold of the suit and was impersonating me, or rather, the Renegade. He was the one derezzing Programs. He also killed Able."

"Cyrus? But wasn't he your–"

"Enemy. Yeah. This is why I could never tell you or Mara my secret. If they knew you were linked to the Renegade somehow, they wouldn't hesitate to hurt you."

"I can't believe you've been the one fighting for Argon this whole time."

"Is it really that unbelievable? Honestly, Mara's been just as determined to stop the Occupation."

"Well, no one would believe _I_ was Tron if I wore that suit."

They shared a laugh together, and Beck was able to recollect happier times, before the Occupation came to Argon.

As a train whistle blew in the distance, he was jerked back to the present.

"I wish I could tell you everything, but you guys need to get out of Argon."

"What about everyone else, Beck? Aren't we going to rescue them?"

"I'm sorry. I wish we could, but the Occupation needs mechanics. Right now they're being threatened to work, but at least they aren't being repurposed."

"But Beck, Pavel is a monster! He _derezzed_ Bit. He'll derez any Program who so much as _glares_ at him."

"As crazy as Pavel is, General Tesler and Clu need mechanics. No one will be derezzed, at least while they're still needed. They might be threatened, but I'm pretty sure they're too valuable to be disposed of."

Mara and Zed were quiet.

"You're staying then?" Mara asked.

"Argon needs me. With General Tesler and Clu here, someone needs to lead this Revolution."

"Let us stay with you. We could go into hiding. And we can help you free the Programs from Clu."

He thought about it. He knew that he wanted them to stay. In fact he could hide them in the Outlands with Tron. But he knew it wasn't right. He couldn't protect everyone who was fighting against Clu by hiding them in the Outlands. And Mara and Zed were being actively hunting down by the Occupation.

"It's too risky for you guys. I'm sorry. Maybe if they weren't hunting down mechanics…I can't have you stay here for me when you could be a lot safer somewhere else."

Zed and Mara shared a look. Finally it was Zed who spoke.

"Okay. We'll go. But don't think that we're going to forget about you Beck. We'll spread the word about the Revolution – get the rest of the Grid ready to take down Clu."

Beck smiled sadly.

"Remember, Tron lives."

Pulling off his disc, he changed back into a civilian.

"Come on. You guys need to catch a train."

"Which one?"

"Any one that gets you out of Argon."

As soon as they entered the station Beck could already see multiple headshots of mechanics flickering on the screens. There were a lot of Programs wanted, so he hoped that no one would recognize Zed or Mara yet.

"Keep a low profile. Whatever you do, don't draw attention to yourselves. If anything happens, head for the train and I'll get them to follow me out of station."

"_Beck_-"

He headed straight for the ticket booth before Mara could continue.

"Two tickets to…" he glanced up at the schedule to check where the next train was headed, "Vanadium, please."

After handing him the tickets the Program at the booth gave him a look.

"Have I seen you somewhere before?"

"Not unless you've been recoding your house – I'm an architect."

He left quickly before the Program could get a better look at him.

"Alright, here are your tickets. Stay safe, and take care of each other. Now go."

Mara looked like she was going to say something, but Zed gave him a nod and pulled Mara away. He watched as they boarded and waited until the train was completely pulled out of the station.

As he turned to leave, he found the place suddenly filling with the arrival of guards. _Great._ They were posted at every exit. He quickly scanned the area and saw the Program from the ticket booth talking to a group of them. Well, it was a good thing he got Zed and Mara out in time.

_Keep your head down, Beck. With a little luck, they might never notice–_

"You there! Haven't I seen you before, _Mechanic_?"

Of course. And it had to be…

"Pavel. Were you planning on taking a trip somewhere? Because the ticket booth is that way."

"Nice try, Program. But you're coming with me."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Escape**

"I wouldn't bet on it."

Pulling out his disc Beck threw it upwards, vaguely in Pavel's direction.

Pavel laughed maniacally. "You weren't aiming for me, were you? I can now see why you're such a lowly mechanic–"

The sprinkler system suddenly activated, drenching every Program in the station. It wasn't the best as far as distractions went, but it still served its purpose.

Beck leapt up, catching his disc as it returned to him, and ran straight for the exit.

From the sounds behind him, Beck was guessing that Pavel had recovered quickly and that the water shock had only bought him a few extra nanos. But it was all that he needed. Dodging the guards, he forced a path to the exit with Pavel close behind. His baton was already in hand as he got out of the station, and he hit the street with his light cycle at full speed.

They gave chase, though he would have been more surprised if they hadn't. A telltale buzz warned him of an incoming disc and he dodged. But the sounds of the first had been masking the second, and as soon as he figured it out, he didn't move fast enough. The disc caught his arm, cutting deeply. He hissed in a breath, glancing down at the glistening exposure.

"I got him!" Pavel shouted triumphantly.

With light cycles that could hit higher speeds they were gaining on him, but Beck drew his disc unconcerned. He didn't want this hunt to be drawn out.

_Let's finish this_.

The guards weren't even ready with their discs when they pulled alongside him and he took the opportunity to slice away at vital parts of their vehicles. The light cycles veered, crumbling into nothing more than a pile of cubes.

_That's what you get for going up against a mechanic_.

Now he just needed to shake Pavel. The Program was already trying to derez him before drawing close enough. Avoiding the wild slash easily, Beck used his leg to kick away Pavel's ride as it came up beside his. With a frustrated cry, Pavel was forced to put his disc away in order to right his vehicle and take control of it again. Beck turned, already planning his route towards the highway. Pavel was viciously gaining.

"You'll pay for that, Mechanic!"

Pavel's slices were even more violent and less accurate when he pulled up the second time. Beck parried easily. Pavel's disc descended yet again, but Beck blocked it firmly, pushing it away from him as he leaned over towards Pavel's ride.

"What do you think you're doing?"

From the underside of the handlebar Beck was able to reveal some coding. Running his thumb along the code that controlled speed, he slowed Pavel's cycle to its minimum – around the same speed as his civilian cycle.

_That should even things out_.

He turned unexpectedly, losing Pavel for a moment before the Program was behind him again. But with a light cycle the same speed as his, Pavel wouldn't be able to overtake him anymore. The cry that came behind him was deranged.

"You'll regret all of this, Program! I will tear you apart bit by bit!"

_I don't think so. _Beck smirked as the highway came into view. He entered, knowing Pavel was still behind him. _Not for much longer_. He jumped off the overpass, landing in a lane going in a different direction, but he quickly corrected. He risked only one glance back to discover that Pavel had stopped, clearly furious. Making another lane jump he followed it into a different part of Argon City. It wasn't very long until he reached the outer limits and started streaking through the Outlands.

* * *

><p>It was late in the cycle when Beck returned to the hideout. He was emotionally drained after saying goodbye to Zed and Mara, and his arm injury had him physically feeling less than great. He still had to report to Tron, though. Beck sighed. He was not up for a hefty discussion at the moment.<p>

Tron was by the window when he got off the elevator.

"I got Mara and Zed on the train to Vanadium. I don't know if they'll stay there or keep moving away from Argon, but at least they're far from Pavel."

"You took a big risk helping your friends like that."

"They're my friends."

"As long as they're safe then."

"Another thing. Before they left, I had to tell them. About being the Renegade. It was the only way I could get them to leave without me."

Tron was silent for a while.

"So…You're not mad then?"

He sighed. "Even if I was, there's nothing I can do about it. You really need to stop telling Programs about your identity as the Renegade though."

"Zed and Mara were the last ones, I promise."

_And there you go, making more promises you have no control over_.

"How did you injure your arm?"

Beck automatically looked down at the injury.

"Pavel's disc. I should have seen it coming."

"Well, I only know a little more than basic healing, but I think I might be able to patch it up."

"Actually, I was going to get Paige to look at it."

"Paige?"

"Well, she was a medic."

"You never told me that."

"Really? I thought I did. Anyway, I'm feeling pretty tired. Calling it a cycle. Is there anything else we need to discuss?"

"No."

* * *

><p>"Paige? As much as I love our impromptu fights, I'd really appreciate it if you didn't jump me right now."<p>

"Beck?"

He watched as she entered the lounge from the opposite end, glass of energy in hand.

"You're back. What took you so long?"

"Bumped into that 'difficult co-worker' of yours."

Her eyes widened.

"Your arm." Setting down the glass, she hurried towards him. "Let me see that."

She gripped his arm firmly, examining the injury with a trained eye.

"Pavel did this to you?"

"Well, I didn't just trip and fall, if that's what you're asking."

"I'll need to access your disc."

He removed it from his back, holding it out to her.

"And you're not going to try to derez me?"

"_What_? No!" She looked shocked until she remembered what he was referring to. "Not funny, Beck." But she was smiling as she took hold of his disc.

"Same arm too."

"Hmm."

She was already busy going through his code, locating the damaged site and repairing it.

"There. Good as new." She handed him back his disc.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

She turned around, fetching the glass of energy.

"You must be tired."

"A little, yeah."

"Here, take it," she set the glass on the low table in front of him. "I'll go get another one."

Sinking into a seat, he allowed himself to finally relax.

* * *

><p>"Beck?"<p>

He startled, finding Paige's brown eyes _very _close to his face as she leaned over him.

"Were you about to enter sleep mode?"

"Does it really matter now?"

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking–" she sounded flustered.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm not mad. Just…surprised." He smiled, having never seen Paige look so nervous.

"Oh." She promptly sat down next to him, energy clutched a little too tightly.

* * *

><p>She was acting like an idiot. Yet she had no explanation for her sudden awkwardness. She had simply stopped him from entering sleep mode in an uncomfortable position. It was a favour that simply needed returning. A strange buzz flowed through her circuits, thinking about Beck carrying her to bed. She needed to stop.<p>

* * *

><p>Beck was watching Paige carefully as she stared down at her drink. He could tell that she was looking but not processing the image in front of her.<p>

"Paige?" He gently put his hand on her arm, just above her wrist.

"Have you been okay, staying here?"

* * *

><p>She came out of the daze.<p>

"What do you mean?"

If he had caught her at any other time, she would have given him a sarcastic quip involving the joys of imprisonment, but at the moment her thoughts were too scrambled.

"I never meant to hurt you Paige. And if you're unhappy staying here, I'm sorry. It's really all my fault that this happened. I'm sorry."

"I'm not…" She was unhappy with her situation, but then again she wasn't truly angry or distressed. She may have been confined to a limited amount of space, but she was certainly comfortable.

She looked at him then, _really_ looked at him, and took in the genuine concern in his expression. Paige wasn't one to be easily moved. Yet time and time again, she found herself surprised by this one Program. He was loyal to his friends, to Tron and his cause, and somehow his devotion was hers as well. _Hers _– when she was, by all definitions, his enemy.

She remembered what he had told her as the Renegade. _"I'm fighting for you, too." _It hadn't been an act then. He had meant it sincerely, regardless of whether or not she chose to join him. He fought for what he cared for. He cared for her.

She sighed. Once she had been able to push him away. It hurt, but she was able to deny her feelings for the simple, yet impressive, mechanic. Once_…_

"Paige?"

She downed half her glass of energy is one go.

"You don't have to apologize. I understand. I should go to bed…"

As she moved to get up, Beck's hand grabbed hold of her wrist. He pulled her forward and suddenly his lips were on hers. As quickly as they were there, they were gone. She sat, stunned.

"Sleep well, Paige." And then he was walking towards the elevator.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Touch**

She was staring at the drink he left behind. Her fingers were brushing against her lips until she became aware of the action and quickly stopped. _What was that?_ She knew what kissing was, obviously, but it wasn't something that was common among Programs. She heard plenty of crude jokes involving feeling up circuitry and the disdainful comments about those who were programmed to "pleasure." But talk about kissing was…unusual.

She touched her mouth again, wondering how it could feel so different from Beck's touch. It had felt good. And very strange. But she supposed the only thing that mattered was that she wanted to do it again.

* * *

><p>Beck woke up feeling well rested for the first time in cycles. He stilled, realizing that his role as mechanic to the citizens of Argon had abruptly ended. Now that Mara and Zed were out of the City, and both of his identities were wanted by the Occupation, he had nothing left to do but focus on the revolution. But first…<p>

* * *

><p>Beck stepped off the elevator quietly, not wanting to disturb the scene in front of him. Paige stood by a circular high table, Monome beneath her fingertips. Her eyes were focused on the instrument, yet it seemed that she was looking at something else at the same time. Something intangible, something that spoke the same language as the rhythm she created…<p>

"Beck!"

Her hands flew off the Monome, cutting the song mid beat. "I didn't hear you."

He walked towards her, briefly glancing at the instrument. "Please, don't stop."

She looked down again, her hands hesitantly hovering over the keys. She felt his presence as he stood behind her. She picked up from where she had been interrupted, sinking back into pulse of the song. It might not have been in her programming, but she intuitively knew how to work with the pitch, dynamics, repetition and harmonies, weaving them into her music.

Her eyes widened and the song skipped a beat when she felt Beck place his hands on her waist. Plowing through, she purposely ignored him and continued playing. She felt his chin rest on her shoulder next.

The song continued. His fingers moved over the lines of her body. Her circuitry flared.

The rhythm was getting erratic. His lips brushed the small bit of circuitry at the back of her neck as his arms tightened around her.

The music stopped. He was smiling against her. She could feel it.

Turning around in his arms, she faced him. The intensity in his eyes was expected, but she also saw a question in them. Smiling softly in amusement that he would bother with permission after what just occurred, she nodded her consent anyway.

His hands followed her circuitry lines tentatively and gently, the exact opposite of the bold movements he had just made. Sneaking her leg around his, she kicked into his ankle; effective bringing him down. She smiled from her position above him, intent on a little revenge for interrupting her music.

One hand she gently pinned at his head. With her free hand, she traced his lines with alternating pressure, making his circuits flicker according to her touch. She stopped suddenly, and a sound of protest escaped him before she bowed her head down. Their mouths collided halfway between them. She met every one of his movements with her own, dynamically challenging and yielding to him all at once. Even behind closed eyes, she could tell that the room was beginning to illuminate. Letting go of the rest of her thoughts, she surrendered herself to their combining light.

* * *

><p>They sat at the countertop, glasses of energy half empty as they talked. She told him about her friends, her early life as a medic, and the first time she played a Monome. He told her about Mara, Zed, and Bodhi, their life at the Garage, and the disc games they used to play. Some of those memories they chose to show each other with the recording on their discs.<p>

They both avoided their tragedies, but simply recalled the funny stories, happy moments and feelings of contentment in a time when they were both blissfully ignorant of the war surrounding them.

This was what he was fighting for, Beck thought. He was fighting so that all Programs could have those kinds of moments again. He knew that neither he nor Paige could relive theirs – too much had been taken away from them – but they could always make new memories, if the Grid could ever be peaceful again.

* * *

><p>He had known the entire time. It started out as a nagging feeling, one that he chose to ignore, hoping against all odds…He couldn't ignore it any longer. At first he had felt incredible, relieved to be healed, to be <em>whole <em>once more. He had lived too long in scars, hiding; only a vague reflection of the Program he once was. Now that his strength was back, it only scared him, because he knew what it was going to be used for.

By his calculations he had a cycle left. Maybe more, but certainly not two. The change had started slowly, and then accelerated exponentially. He had consciously chosen not to tell Beck last cycle, but he realized that he couldn't lie to protect his protégé any longer. In fact, leaving him unaware would only serve to further endanger him. While Beck and Paige were in sleep mode for the remainder of the cycle, Tron had stayed up. He knew his research would be futile, but he refused to give up without trying something. Time was against him though, and now he only had just time to warn Beck of the inevitable future.

As a new cycle began, he realized that he had been awake for too long. He had to tell Beck. He didn't know why, but he was still hesitant. Perhaps it was because he wasn't quite ready to accept it himself. He would never accept it. He sighed. His body was tired and he needed to enter sleep mode. He would tell Beck after, then.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Goodbye**

"Good."

Paige had lowered her arms. She shifted her centre of balance so she stood up straight, more relaxed. Beck had been in a partial lunge, and he straightened to stand as well.

"Tron's trained you well."

He tried not to make it too obvious that he was working to catching his breath. Watching her, he could catch subtle signs that she was drained as well, but she was very good at hiding them.

He wasn't entirely sure how it started, but at some point she had taken a jab at his mediocre moves and he had taken the opportunity to challenge her. Training with her had been invigorating.

He had to admit, she was just as fast as he was, and though he was stronger, she definitely had more experience. Gallium had been taken over by the Occupation long before Argon had, and Paige had been receiving training by the army while he was still living his peaceful life at the Garage with his friends.

"I wasn't finished yet. I almost had you there."

Paige scoffed.

"Not even close, Mechanic. If anything, I had you the entire time."

Stepping towards him, she cupped his cheek and planted a kiss on his lips. Beck gave a hum of satisfaction.

When she pulled back, her expression was surprisingly analytical.

"This action. It's not something that was meant for Programs."

Beck tilted his head slightly. "They say it's something Users do."

Paige seemed to consider that for a moment.

"It's…nice."

Beck smiled.

* * *

><p>Tron exited sleep mode not feeling replenished in the slightest. He had been restless, even in sleep mode, and though he had dreamt, he could only recall jagged images. None of them were peaceful. Tron sighed.<p>

* * *

><p>They sat in the lounge. At one point, Paige had pulled her legs up, tucking them to the side as she leaned on him. Beck had the Monome in his lap and was currently fiddling with it.<p>

"Beck?"

"Hmm?"

"I think you're tone deaf."

"Yeah, I probably am," he smiled.

"What are you going to do now that the Occupation is out for you – both as the Renegade and a mechanic?"

He had briefly brought up the latest news from Argon and sending his friends to Vanadium.

Beck shrugged.

"What I've always been doing – fighting for the Grid. Just because it's gotten harder doesn't mean I'm going to stop."

"You don't give up, do you?"

"I never will."

Beck recalled saying the same thing to her before. Needless to say, her disc wasn't aimed at his neck this time around.

"What about you? You still haven't left yet. And I know you're capable."

Paige was quiet. Fortunately for her, she was saved from answering.

"Beck. It's important." Had he misheard, or did Tron sound tired?

"Is he always so…commanding?" Paige gave a wry smile.

Beck forced a laugh. "You don't know the half of it."

He shifted so that he could face her properly.

"I could be back in a few micros or a few cycles. So…" He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Just in case I don't see you for a while."

She smiled. "Alright, then."

* * *

><p>Tron couldn't say he was surprised at the development between his protégé and the Commander. In fact, he had been partially expecting it. It really was the last thing he needed, as he still wasn't entirely sure where her loyalties stood. Despite the closeness between her and Beck, Tron knew she wouldn't abandon the Occupation so easily. He sighed. True, the Commander was a complication. He had to believe in Beck, though. It was all that he had left.<p>

"You called?"

"Beck."

Tron looked over, finding that both of them wore neutral expressions.

"Yes," he hesitated. "It's about the repurposing that happened on Clu's recognizer."

Beck's expression quickly became concerned. Tron internalized his sigh. He was beginning to accept that it would take a lot before Beck was able to detach his emotions from his actions. It would be a sad cycle when he reached that point.

"It's what we always feared."

Beck was quiet for a long micro.

"No." He was shaking his head. "No, you're fine, Tron. And even if…Even if–" He looked down, before meeting Tron's gaze with determination. "We can stop it. There has to be a way."

Tron shook his head. "Don't you think I would have tried it already? It can't be stopped, Beck."

"How long have you known?"

"Too long."

"How long do you think you have?"

"Less than a cycle."

Beck breathed out heavily. His hand reached out and grabbed onto Tron. "If there's still time, then I'm not giving up on you."

Tron pushed Beck away forcefully. Stumbling back, his hand hit a panel hard before he steadied himself and straightened.

"I'm not giving up," he repeated.

"No, Beck. You need to leave now."

Both missed the small beep that indicated the intercom was on.

* * *

><p>"I'm not giving up."<p>

"Beck?" Paige startled.

"–Need to leave now."

_It's the intercom_, she realized.

"I've been compromised. If we want the Uprising to survive, you need to get out of here while you still can."

"I'm not leaving."

"Don't be a fool, Beck."

"No, there has to be a way to stop this."

"I've tried everything. Believe me; if there had been a way to stop it, it would have already happened by now."

Silence.

"It's my fault then. If only I had been faster–"

"Don't spend time blaming yourself; it isn't going to accomplish anything."

"I can't do this, Tron. Not on my own."

"You can and you will. I believe in you, Beck. You need to lead the Uprising. The Grid depends on it."

Tron's voice continued.

"After I turn, your identity won't be a secret anymore. I'll be compelled to report to Clu. It won't be safe for you to stay, and you'll have to get as far as possible by then."

"Wait. Paige."

She heard Tron sigh. "Leave without her. I'll deal with Paige later."

"No. I'm not leaving without her."

"It's too risky. I won't allow you to compromise the rebellion any further."

"You can't–"

"Can you honestly tell me which side she is on? Can you tell me with full confidence that she has turned completely against the Occupation – against Clu?"

Beck's answer was quiet but still audible.

"Yes."

Paige shifted uncomfortably.

"I already told you not to let your emotions cloud your judgement. I won't be around to keep telling you, but I want you to at least remember."

More silence.

"Do you really think I can do this?"

"You were rebelling on your own before I even got to you. You don't give up. You care for your friends and the Grid as well. You fight for what you believe in. You are more than capable."

"I can't leave you. Not like this."

"Sometimes you don't get the choice, Beck." There was a pause. "I'm proud of you. And I want to say goodbye while I'm still myself. I know what Clu has planned for me. I'm sorry, Beck."

"I'm sorry, too."

There was the sound of footsteps.

"Goodbye, Tron."

"Take care, Beck."

* * *

><p>Paige remained seated until she heard the elevator opening.<p>

"Beck."

His eyes were distant, but focused once they settled on her. He started to speak, but she held up a hand.

"I heard all of it."

His brow furrowed, until the realization dawned on him.

"I must have turned on the com when I hit the panel."

He moved so that he was behind her, and she felt his fingers on her disc. There was a tug and she felt the lock being removed.

"Then you know that we have to leave. Let's go."

Grabbing hold of her hand, he led them towards the elevator. Paige remained silent. When they got to the ground floor and Beck had opened the bay doors, she let go of his hand.

"Stop. I'm not going with you. After Tron turns I'll escort him back to Clu."

"What? _Paige_…" He looked at her, shocked.

"Just because I haven't returned to Argon, it doesn't mean that I've turned my back on the Occupation."

His expression quickly changed.

"So it was a lie, then?" She had never seen his eyes so severe.

"No. It wasn't. How I feel about you…It was never a lie. But I still fight for Clu. Please try to understand, Beck."

"I can't." His voice was flat. "Are you going to stop me then?"

She was quiet.

"I see."

He turned around, rezzing the light cycle. She felt an unfamiliar clenching in her chest. It hurt.

"Goodbye, Beck."

He took off without ever looking back.

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

When she stepped off the elevator, Tron was already waiting.

"You let him go."

She didn't respond.

"You're more like him than I thought."

"Meaning?" She arched a brow.

"You let your feelings rule your head."

She focused her attention on the floor. "Only this once."

"So you say."

Tron turned back to the panels.

"What are you doing?"

He continued opening multiple files on screen. They flashed before her eyes faster than she could process the images. Then they simply vanished.

"You're deleting–"

"Everything. Yes." Tron sighed. "You can bring the Occupation back here if you want after. They won't find any information of use." He walked away from the main screen and windows. Beside the elevator he reached for the wall and turned off all the lights.

"Shall we head for the lounge then? I never had a proper chance to hear you play."

She stepped into the elevator after him. After a micro, he spoke again.

"It's Yori's. The Monome. You asked once why I had it. It was Yori's."

Paige was silent. It was strange to see the Program so unreserved.

She looked up to see Tron smiling sadly at her.

"I wish you could have met her."

* * *

><p>Streaking through the Outlands, Beck already had his final destination in mind. Tron was right. It was time for him to start separating his emotions from his judgement.<p>

He would need to leave behind all of his former identities. Mechanic, Renegade, Beck. The Occupation would know all of them. It was time for a new name and a more subtle Uprising. He couldn't take Clu head on. Not with a repurposed Tron in the way. He would build up the resistance quietly; amass more and more Programs against the system. They would go underground and work from the shadows. And when they were strong enough, they would finally rise.

He supposed that his emotions would never fully leave him. They were an integral part of him, and without them, he would not be himself. He knew those emotions were overriding his judgment when he chose his new name. The Architect. It was a risk. Only one other Program knew him by that name. It may have been a gamble, but somehow he had the feeling that he would not be exposed. At least, not immediately. It was a little funny how apt the name was. He would tear down Clu's system, and rebuild the Grid as it once was.

Once he had been the Renegade. Once he had tried to protect what he had. There was nothing left to protect anymore. Clu had taken it all. When they reclaimed the Grid they would build again. They would have peace without fear. They would have safety and equality. They would have a place like the Argon that Beck once lived in.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

* * *

><p><strong>AN **So...that happened. Whew. I don't even know where to begin. I guess the title is kind of ironic, since Paige never actually turned to become a part of the revolution. For the record, I had fully intended on that happening from the beginning. But, I believe that the characters should dictate the story, and not the other way around. It doesn't make sense at this point for Paige to suddenly throw all of her beliefs away, just because she's finally acknowledged her full feelings for Beck. Paige is unwaveringly loyal, and it would contradict her character if she gave up her loyalty to Clu and what she owes her derezzed friends, for someone on the opposite side.

Poor Beck, though. There are certainly a lot of different reactions that could have come from losing both Tron and Paige, but I decided to go with the hardened hero approach. You'll notice how much I emphasize his tenacity near the end, even in the face of resistance. Beck doesn't give up. He keeps on going even after taking some really hard hits. That's just who he is.

And the point I was actually trying to get to - a sequel is in the works! Since this fanfic was written a year ago, it's a little hard to replicate the same feel. For that reason, Cutting Edges, the sequel to Turning Pages, might have a slightly different style/tone to it. I never planned to write a sequel, but now that people have read the fanfic, I feel like I owe it to you guys. So brace yourself for the inevitable reunion of Beck and Paige.

Lastly, a huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this fanfic. I can only hope that you enjoyed it and found the interactions between the characters to be new and interesting, while still remaining true to themselves.

Cheers,

aeroKAT


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